Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Round and Round

It's already time to set goals and make plans for Round 2 of ROW80!  Last time, I was kind of unprepared and over-ambitious.  This time, I think I have a better plan...

Round 2 begins April 2

ROW80 Round 2 Goals:
  • Write* at least 15 minutes each weekday; weekends are optional
  • Participate in the ROW80 Twitter discussions and use bookending techniques there to help me stay on task
  • Read and comment on blogs each check-in, even if I only have time for one or two.
* Writing will be working on exercises from Sarah Domet's 90 Days to Your Novel or other fiction writing. I'm not going to include blogging or working on my coaching homework or other types of writing. 

I want to make this round all about my fiction work.  I don't intend to do the 90 Days to Your Novel work in 90 days.  I plan to take longer because I don't agree with the idea that you  must turn down social engagements and trips and everything else to work on your writing.  Sometimes you need to do that, but not all the time.  And I have things (like my coaching training!) that I can't just set aside, but I want to get back to writing fiction.  So I picked a system that seemed straightforward and that is already broken down into fairly small steps.  I've been so flighty and scatterbrained about my writing for so long that I want to have someone hand me a little step and say, "Do this," and then just do that thing without worrying that I'm not going to know what to do next.

I guess this round is about establishing routines and trying out a system so that I have something to start from to create my own writing system.  I don't know that this system is better than any others.  I don't think it matters.  I think what I need right now is just picking a system and sticking with it to the end, just to show myself that I really can do it.

That's it.  This time around, I'm keeping it really simple.  I do want to make improvements in my health and lifestyle and in my organizing and housecleaning, but those are going to be things of their own and not part of my ROW80 goals even though they will impact my writing.  Last time, having goals in so many categories made me feel scattered and overwhelmed, and I stopped working on anything.  This time, it's just about the writing, and I'm loving the feel of that!

See you Monday for the kickoff.  Meanwhile here's today's American Sentence:

The rains of spring, with lowering skies, call me to sleep just like winter.

3 comments:

Shan Jeniah Burton said...

Kim -

I love that you're back.

I love the feel of your post, and your new focus.

I went the other way. More categories, more goals.

I like a smorgasbord! =)

Kim Switzer said...

Shan, I love it that your goals are like a smorgasbord! That's so cool! :)

Eden Mabee said...

When things don't go quite the way you planned, it's good to step back and reassess. That's what you've done. And being in a similar muddle where I'd love to have someone take my hand and say "do it this way" I understand your intentions perfectly. I think you've looked over your chosen option wisely, choosing to not drive yourself for the momentary goal but for the purpose of establishing a longer term achievement.

Good for you!

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